Saturday 3 April 2010

Singapore and Thailand

Goodbye India, Hello South East Asia!

(And of course HAPPY EASTER TO EVERYONE!
Wesolej Wielkanocy znaczy sie!)

Singapore was a truly lovely surprise (after hearing mostly luke-warm opinions about it, our expectations were not particularly high) . It does not have all that much when it comes to monuments, 'tis true, but we had already seen more than our share of temples and palaces in India. One of the places in Singapore that we have truly fallen in love with, is the absolutely most beautiful zoo I had ever seen! Now that's what it's supposed to look like! The animals' natural habitat was recreated as closely as possible, and the animals (the ones that can't eat you that is) roamed free, gawking at the tourists and seemingly enjoying themselves. Orangutans swinging above your head, turtles puttering along the path, you get the idea.  Basically the first time I could enjoy a zoo guilt-free. The food in Singapore was amazing, and I was also really impressed with just how clean and green and nicely organized the whole place was. True, chewing gum and littering will land you with a ridiculous fine, but personal freedom aside, I felt that the Europeans have much to learn when it comes to urban planning.

On the 29th of March we flew over to Krabi in the South of Thailand, and stayed on the Ao Nang beach for a couple of days. A bit too touristy, but we managed to squeeze in a trip to the Princess Lagoon, which involved a climb (ACTUAL ROCK-CLIMBING) up and down a mountain. It was basically a couple hours one way of climbing a near vertical wall holding on to the ropes that some kindly Thais have attached to the occasional roots and rocks. I felt like I should be getting some wizard points, until I saw a group of young Thais zooming past us in flip flops, scorning, of course, the same ropes that we were hanging on to for dear life. It was quite exciting on the whole, although we could have done without the tropical rain that began pouring on our heads just as we were about to head back. The water quickly created waterfalls (water mixed with red clay- an all-over mud mask nightmare), and once we managed to get back we were soaked through (but still rather proud of ourselves).

From Ao Nang we took a rather complicated route to one of the paradise islands in the South-East, and so we are now in Ko Tao! Yesterday we took a snorkelling tour around the island and it's been one of the best things on this trip so far. The water was crystal clear and I had never seen so many kinds of fish and coral and colourful slugs in my life. I was humming 'Unda' de sea, unda' de Sea- Life is de bubbles under de sea' through most of it.

The next stop-Bangkok!

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more from the Trek

more from the Trek

Waterfall in the Jungle

Waterfall in the Jungle

Sweating on the Trek

Sweating on the Trek

Ayuthaya

Ayuthaya

the Tiger Temple.

the Tiger Temple.

As the tanks roll by...

As the tanks roll by...

The bridge over the river Kwai

The bridge over the river Kwai

Floating Market

Floating Market

Squid Stick. Yum.

Squid Stick. Yum.

Fish Spa- little fishes eating the dead skin. Ticklish

Fish Spa- little fishes eating the dead skin. Ticklish

Fruit Market

Fruit Market

outside a Wat in Bangkok

outside a Wat in Bangkok

Ko Tao beach

Ko Tao beach

The snorkelling trip in Ko Tao

The snorkelling trip in Ko Tao

The Princess Lagoon

The Princess Lagoon

Rock climbing to see the lagoon

Rock climbing to see the lagoon

Thailand- Ao Nang beach in the South

Thailand- Ao Nang beach in the South

me with the world's biggest flower

me with the world's biggest flower

the famous white tiger in the Singapore Zoo

the famous white tiger in the Singapore Zoo

Singapore Zoo

Singapore Zoo

On the spice plantation in Goa with the stinky fruit. It's not allowed on public transport

On the spice plantation in Goa with the stinky fruit. It's not allowed on public transport

The Main Mosque in Delhi

The Main Mosque in Delhi

Humayun's Tomb

Humayun's Tomb

Agra Fort

Agra Fort

No prizes for guessing where that is!

No prizes for guessing where that is!

Taj Mahal again

Taj Mahal again

in front of the Jain temple

in front of the Jain temple

Jain Temple

Jain Temple

Jain Temple

Jain Temple

Our room in Jodhpur

Our room in Jodhpur

Jaislemere

Jaislemere

Jailsemere

Jailsemere

Cameron of Arabia

Cameron of Arabia

me on the camel called 'Lucky'

me on the camel called 'Lucky'

the rat temple - the most pampered rats in India

the rat temple - the most pampered rats in India

Cameron having his nail painted by the world-class master of miniature

Cameron having his nail painted by the world-class master of miniature

Cameron and Karam next to an underground corridor leading to the local fort, near Karam's village

Cameron and Karam next to an underground corridor leading to the local fort, near Karam's village